Guise (2015) in his book How to Be and Imperfectionist gives great advice on how to be a normal person.
Seeking and speaking about any form of perfection is the stuff of fantasy and delusion.
Expecting the impossible of fallible people and fallible organisations is the ultimate in delusion. This is why safety=zero will always create a toxic safety culture.
Indeed, we know from Amalberti and Taleb (Antifragility – http://kgt.bme.hu/files/BMEGT30M400/Taleb_Antifragile__2012.pdf ) that any expectation of perfection in risk and safety creates greater fragility.
Both scholars argue that the key is ‘tackling’ risk NOT expecting absolute safety. The language and expectation for ‘absolute safety’ is reckless and dangerous (https://qualitysafety.bmj.com/content/qhc/early/2019/07/08/bmjqs-2019-009443.full.pdf ).
The key to safety is to expect error, not deny it (Weick). Neither error nor harm are evil.
The key being balanced in safety, is to jettison the absurdity of ‘absolute safety’. Safety does NOT equal zero.
So why does Safety expect perfection from fallible people? It is quite simple, ignorance and delusion.
Safety is so poorly educated it doesn’t know what to do with a binary argument or a dumb binary question like: ‘how many people do you want injured today?’.
Binary thinking is one of the most immature modes of thinking (https://safetyrisk.net/binary-opposites-and-safety-goal-strategy/). If anyone throws such a stupid question to you, the first response should be: why do you ask binary questions? (https://safetyrisk.net/the-binary-barnacle ) Why do you ask dumb questions?
Then throw back to them a similar question of entrapment: Do you believe in the war on terror? Do you believe in god? Do you love safety? Are humans perfect?
This is what the mindless logic of zero is founded on. And, all of it lacks balance, maturity, intelligence and wisdom. This is the culture of safety.
brhttps://safetyrisk.net/the-joy-of-imperfection-in-safety/
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